TOUCHING SPIRIT BEAR

by Ben Mikaelsen

Harper Collins Publishing NY 2002

Summary:

Cole is an angry teenager bannished to an island in Alaska after brutally attacking a student at his school. He convinced the circle that he was interested in change but he immidiately allows his anger to control his actions the first time he's sent to the island. Near dead after being malled by a giant white bear Cole finally decides that this world is worth living in.

Personal Review:

I liked this little book, Cole's anger due to abuse is something that, tragically a lot of kid's today can understand. And if they're lucky to not understand this I think it would help YA readers to see where a person with such hate might be coming from. I liked the Circle of Justice and how they're actually workign on doing this now in the United States, it corresponds well with what we believe in the church, that people can change.

Warnings: languge, anger, violence